


Tasted Flight

by ShipOnTheHorizon



Series: Vetus Amici [2]
Category: How to Train Your Dragon (Movies)
Genre: 4+1, Adorable Toothless (How to Train Your Dragon), Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Human, Background Valka (How to Train Your Dragon), Childhood Friends, Cloudjumper cameo, Dead Stoick the Vast, Human Toothless (How to Train Your Dragon), Kissing, M/M, Meet-Cute, Memories, POV Outsider, Reunions, Teen Hiccup Horrendous Haddock lll, Toothless is briefly called Adrian but it's like twice, sadly :(
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-23
Updated: 2019-03-28
Packaged: 2019-11-04 14:26:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 3,097
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17899826
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShipOnTheHorizon/pseuds/ShipOnTheHorizon
Summary: “While her son brought her so much joy, she couldn’t help but feel no regret at the decision she was making.”orThe 4 times someone kissed Hiccup, and the 1 time he kissed someone else.





	1. Butterfly

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Valka is ready to go, but not without one last goodbye.

Twenty was never the age that Valka thought she would be settled down with a family. Married. With a son. And while her son brought her so much joy, looking down at him, nestled in her arms - she couldn’t help but feel no regret at the decision she was making. 

He was three as of two months ago, and those three years had been both the best and worst of her life - she felt trapped in a family where she shouldn’t. She was loved, and safe, and shouldn’t that be enough? 

Apparently it wasn’t. 

CJ would be at the house at 4am, an hour from now, she noted, glancing at the clock. And half an hour later, she would be gone. Free from a life she never wanted. Despite this, she felt her eyes watering. A tear landing on her sons cheek, not far from the small scar left on his chin due to an accident a mere week ago.

It rolled down his cheek, making it seem as if he was the one crying. As if he knew the crime his mother was going to commit the same morning. Valka tucked him tight into her neck, as if trying to hide herself from the shame. 

But still no regret.

In one final action, she brought her son’s peaceful, sleeping face up to the same height as hers and slowly positioned him so that the two were cheek to cheek. She blinks - her eyelashes brush against his cheek with affection that is clearly opposite to the act she is going to commit.

She puts him back in the cot, slowly and with care. Valka loves him with everything she has, but sometimes love isn’t enough to make someone stay - she hopes he never has to learn that lesson.

An hour later, her phone chimes quietly in the silence, and Valka rises from the chair she has been silently sitting in since she put Hiccup down. Ignoring the tears that continue to stream down her face, she places the two carefully constructed letters down into the cot with Hiccup, under his pillow. And then she leaves.

Without turning back, she walks down the stairs, silently picking up the prepared suitcase, and steps out of the house.

She breaths.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CJ is Cloudjumper if you didn’t get the mini reference I wanted to add :)


	2. Eskimo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hiccup falls over, injuring his knee and father and son have a moment.

Sometimes Stoick forgot that Valka had left them. There were times, where Hiccup was happy, or when Hiccup giggled at him when he told him stories, or when Hiccup did pretty much anything with the excitement he was well known for, and he would feel so content, that he would almost turn around to look at his (ex) wife and smile at her. 

And then he would remember, and it would hurt just as much as it did the night she vanished. But then he would look back at his son, and while he wouldn’t forget, he wouldn’t hurt as much.

It’s times like these, watching Hiccup run around their new garden in his little toddler body with Adrian – or Toothless – running behind him, giggling madly, that he didn’t care about any of the pain they’d gone through, so long as he kept that happiness.

It was about halfway through the day, that Hiccup had his first clumsy accident – Stoick still has no idea where the clumsiness came from in their genes but it’s okay, it’s Hiccup – and scraped his knee on the garden path. Stoick looked up in concern when he heard him cry and ran over as fast as his body allowed when he saw him curled up on the floor, Adrian kneeled down next to him, looking just as concerned as Stoick himself did. 

Despite the situation, Stoick smiled at the affection the boys showed each other – they had known each other since they were three but not all children that know each other when they were children grew up with such affection for each other, but Adrian and Hiccup did.

When he arrived at the two, Adrian moved away to allow him to see Hiccup, while Hiccup cried out for him to come back – he moved around to his head, and grabbed his hand, whispering ‘I’m here’ to the smaller boy. Stoick moved his son’s leg around to see his injury.

“Well, son. There is good news and bad news.” He spoke, his deep voice making Hiccup look up at him.

“The good news, you will live. The bad news? You will have to have a marvel plaster.”

Hiccup giggled, wiping his tears away with his fist, saying “Daddy! That’s not bad news. We love marvel plasters!”

Stoick laughed loudly, “Well then, I guess it’s all good news then – shall we go get a plaster for you then?”

Hiccup nodded and got up, with the help of both his best friend and Stoick and limped his way back to the house. Stoick picked him up and put him on the kitchen counter (doing the same to Adrian when he looked, desperate, at him) before rummaging around in the drawers on the opposite side of the kitchen for the marvel plasters he kept due to the number of times Hiccup fell.

He heard the two boys talking to each other behind him.

He turned back around and interrupted the two, saying “What plaster would you li- “

“Iron Man!” Hiccup yelled, excitedly yelling out his favourite marvel super hero.

After he cleaned the scratch and put the plaster on his knee, both boys jumped of the counter, ready to go back to running around the garden but just as Hiccup got to the door, he turned around, ran back to Stoick and said “Kisses! Kisses!”

Stoick laughed and knelt down, putting his face just in front of his sons. They both lightly moved their heads, their noses softly rubbing together. As soon as Stoick moved to stand up, Hiccup was back to running outside.


	3. Hand

The day that Toothless told him that him and his sister were leaving was one of the few days that Hiccup and Toothless faught. 

It was a rare occurrence and didn’t tend to happen, especially after having known each other for 9 years - fights were few and far between.

They knew everything about each other,  
what was to fight about? 

Hiccup had known it had been hard for Toothless since both of his parents had died, but in a more naive way than what would be assumed of a 12 year old, he had hoped that Toothless’ sister would decide to stay. Apparently he was wrong. 

The fight that came after, after Toothless had told him with tears strolling down his face, drained, was vicious. Hiccup wasn’t angry, not really, at least not at Toothless - his best friend did nothing but have his parents ripped away from him.

( ~~at least they didn’t leave on  
purpose~~)

Surely he should be able to choose where he lived afterwards?

Hiccup, after slamming the door of a house that wasn’t his own and storming off down the street,  
was now sitting on the swing. Back and forth, back and forth. It was quiet - a complete contrast to the volume that he was in only moments earlier. It was almost unbearable, the silence tends to creep up on you and smother you with a pillow.

Hiccup sighs, head dropping. Toothless was usually the one who kept the silence from creeping up on him. 

(otherwise he would think about his dad, cancer, his mother, _death_ )

Even at 12, he already needed the help.

What could’ve been hours later, he hears a stick crack behind him, almost hidden by the squeaking of the swing’s chains. The sigh that follows is almost defeated.

He sees Toothless walk up to the swing next to him, peering at Hiccup almost as if he is asking for permission, before climbing onto the swing.

It’s silent for a while.

“I don’t want to leave, you know that right?” Toothless breaks it.

Hiccup sniffs, but nods.

“I don’t want to leave this town, my school, my friends - hell, I don’t want to leave my teachers!” Hiccup snorts, “But most of all? I don’t want to leave _you_.”

Hiccup doesn’t say anything, trying to stop the wave of oncoming tears.

He knows it’s not his fault, but that’s not the issue.

“The issue is that you’re leaving.” Hiccup speaks, almost without his own permission. “I don’t care who’s fault it is, but the issue is _that you’re leaving_!”

“What do you want me to do? My parents are dead, why sister hates m-“

Hiccup turns to him to glare viciously “You stay with me you twat!” 

“You stay with me because I’m your friend and i’m going to miss you so much it hurts! The rest is just details!”

Toothless turns away, “Oh thanks, now my parents are just _details_ to you.”

“No,” Hiccup replies angrily, “You don’t get to say that to me, and try to make me feel bad. Your parents were like second parents to me - you’re mom was my mom.”

“Yeah because you don’t have o-“ Toothoess cuts himself off, gasping.

Hiccup gets off the swing and starts walking off before he can think about how he can process that.

“Hiccup!”

He keeps walking.

“Hiccup, please!”

He doesn’t stop.

“Hiccu-“

“What?” Hiccup cries, spinning around completely to meet Toothless’ eyes.

“What could you possibly say to me after that?” 

Toothless leans against a close tree, eyes misty. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry I didn’t mean that.”

Hiccup deflates, “Yeah well.”

Toothless looks up, meeting Hiccup’s eyes. “I can’t stop us leaving Hic, but I swear to all forces - whether they are Gods, space or even bloody dragons - I am going to see you again.”

Hiccup takes in the words, pausing. He turns around, but doesn’t move away. 

“Promise?” He asks, weakly.

Toothless takes his hand, pulling him back around to give him a small smile. 

“Like a Prince promises his Princess... or other Prince I guess?”

Hiccup let’s out a small laugh, looking at the floor with a smile. “What am I being promised with?”

Toothless pretends to think, taping his jaw with one finger. “Well, really only Princesses get kisse-“ 

Hiccup pushes him, “Oh fuck off Toothless.” 

He laughs, putting an arm around his shoulder and pulling him closer into the shell of his arms. “If you are so desperate...”

Hiccup giggles, turning around in his hold and puckers his lips.

Toothless ignores him, pushing him out of his hold before taking a step back and bending over to grab Hiccup’s hand. He firmly presses his lips to the back of his hand, before dropping it back down.

Hiccup shamelessly studies the area.

Lipstick. Since when did he wear lipstick?

“There, the promise is sealed.”

Both boys internally kept the promise knowing one day they would meet again.


	4. Forehead

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Astrid and Hiccup's first meeting was one of peace. So was their first goodbye.

Being on a train was a new experience for Hiccup. It's not that he had never travelled outside of his home town before, but it had typically been by car or by bus to make it easier on his dad. Since his dad had gone, he had no one in his home town that could convince him to stay, and had the money to go wherever he wanted - he left, quickly, and with as many belongings that he could grab.

So here he is, making the journey to a new life with no one behind him. It was oddly peaceful.

He gets distracted by the landscape zipping by his window.

Soon after he got on the train, after about 2 stops (he was distracted, it could've been 10 stops) Hiccup looks away when a shadow is cast across his work and meets the eyes of a small blonde. He smiles carefully.

"Can I.. help you?"

She smiles openly, he eyes crinkling upwards.

"Sorry, but do you mind if I sit next to you? All the other seats are taken on this carriage?"

Hiccup nods, absentmindedly moving all of his coats and bag of the next seat. "Of course, go for it." As the girl sits, Hiccup looks back out the window. They sit in silence for a while, easy since they don't know each other until she gently taps his shoulder.

"Sorry to disturb your... looking? But I was just curious on why you looked so depressed?"

Hiccup looked at her in apprehension, shoulders tense, until he realized she was just curious. Her smile was genuine.

"I'm just coming up to school - you?"

"The same, I'm going back for my fourth year. Have you just started? Assuming we are both going to the same school, I haven't seen you."

Hiccup nodded, "Yeah. My da- some choices in my life, meant I couldn't start school until later so, I'm doing it now."

She nodded, "I get that, I started school a few years later since I didn't have the money."

They sat in silence for a bit longer before Hiccup turned to her and put out his hand - "My name's Hiccup by the way."

She took his hand, shaking it. "Astrid. Is your name seriously Hiccup?"

(That reply was almost exact to another person that Hiccup had known, God, he missed him.)

Hiccup laughed, "Yeah I know, it was my dad's idea of a joke."

Astrid laughed back at him, saying "I'm going to call you Sneeze."

Hiccup rolled his eyes at her, "Okay sure, thank you, Astrid."

They speak for a while during the journey about both of their families, Hiccup avoiding talking explicitly about his dad, and where they got on the train from. By the end of the journey, they were pretty close friends, and about 20 minutes before the train was due to get to the station, she halted the conversation to ask a question.

"Do you, want to come out to the pub when we get to school?"

Hiccup's smile dropped, "I'm gay, just so you know."

Astrid's eyes widened, but not in anger - just shock. "No, no! I didn't mean like a date - I'm gay too - but just as friends. I would like to keep talking to you. But, in that case - I have another friend that you could meet. His name is Adrian and he's gorgeous and gay and single?"

Hiccup laughs but shakes his head. 

"I'm not looking for a relationship at the moment, I think I want some friends before a boyfriend you know?"

Astrid smile gets smaller, but she nods in understanding. "I totally understand, but you will still come out with us, right?"

Hiccup nodded slowly, "Yeah - as long as nothing is expected from me but to pay for a drink".

Astrid laughs as the train comes to a stop. She stands up, taking time to pick up her belongings so that the rest of the carriage can leave. Before she makes a move to get off she takes his phone from his hand, asking for him to unlock it before adding her number as a contact.

"Text me, and I'll let you know when and where to go."

Hiccup takes his phone back, nodding along - "Cool cool. I'll see you later then? First friend" he says with a wink.

She giggles at him, commenting on how bad the wink came out, before lightly kissing him on the forehead. "See you, newest friend!"

Even Hiccup has to say, her wink was much better quality.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you like the new chapter! (I totally wasn't pulling people that Hiccup could kiss out of my ass!)


	5. Lips

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys take a trip back to their past, and reinact an old scene for the future.

They had planned the trip for late august, but when news came up about the death of one of his dad’s close friends, Hiccup and Toothless’ trip back to their home town was pushed back until the funeral.

It was a serene affair, he died happy, old and with his family around him so there were no sad tears in the crowd.

(Hiccup had known Greg - nicknamed Gobber by those who were close - since he had moved, and had seen him almost once a month since he died. He was one of the only people that had died leaving Hiccup with no regrets of lost time.) 

After the funeral, despite the slightly dull atmosphere, Toothless and Hiccup’s trip back to their home town carried on as planned. 

The first day, they went to see Astrid and her parents - she had come on an earlier train so she could get back to Edinburgh early and meet up with her girlfriend Stormie - and the second day they did nothing.

The third day however, they walked through town and when they hit a certain road, they both looked at each other and turned the corner with no thought.

“Promise?” He says, with a teasing lilt to his voice, spinning around on the spot.

Toothless takes his hand, pulling him back towards him. He laughs, and replies “Like a Prince promises his Princess.”

Hiccup rolled his eyes, “I definitely don’t have the parts to be a Princess.” Toothless leers at him, wordlessly answering that with a silent _Oh, I know._

Two years dating him, and he still manages to make him blush like a teenager. 

Hiccup rolls his eyes, but carries on the scene - smiling at the floor he timidly says “What am I being promised with this time? Don’t think you are getting away from me that easy.”

Toothless laughs, tapping his jaw - almost simultaneous to the action he did all those years ago - “Hm, what do all good Princessess want?”

Hiccup shoves him backwards, laughing all the while, “Oh fuck off Toothless.”

He laughs, putting an arm around his shoulder and pulling him closer into the shell of his arms. “If you are so desperate...”

Hiccup turns around and looks at him expectantly, “If you think you are only getting away with kissing my ha-“ 

He cuts himself off.

Toothless kneels. On one knee.

Both of them still, and it almost sounds like the rest of the world stills with them - the peace, the calm, the reunion of two souls in their rightful place.

They both speak:

“Will you-“

“Yes.”

Toothless scowls, but there is love in his eyes. “Do I not even get to ask the question?”

Hiccup laughs, the sound full of tears of joy moving forward to pick him up off the floor.

Toothless pushed him backwards, smiling before firmly pressing his lips to the back of his hand, before dropping it back down.

“Marry me Hiccup.”

Hiccup nods erratically.

“Marry me.”

“Yes. Yes, yes! _Always, fuck yes_.”

Toothless gets up off his knees slid the black ring onto his finger, and when the light shone off it, it looked like scales.

Toothless puts his hand on both cheeks, before pulling Hiccup in for a hard press of lips.

“There, the promise is sealed.” 

The words took on a new meaning.


End file.
